Indian Lake is the site of the 2014 Buckeye Kayak Fishing
Trial’s Big Slab Crappie Challenge on Saturday, May 17th. Last year a large group of anglers pre-fished
and camped at Indian Lake in anticipation of the trail’s first crappie
event. The following day, 18 anglers
registered at the Lakeside Pro Bass Shop, in anticipation of tough competition and camaraderie among fellow fishermen. With so many anglers present, the event was already a huge success!
These kayak anglers braved the 25+ mph wind
and tucked into the many channels Indian Lake offers. In these weaving and winding channels many
anglers found schools of crappie willing to bite. Each of the top five places measured a full
limit of three fish totaling over 30”. Chase
Bateson of Zanesville, Ohio won the Big Slab Crappie Challenge with an
impressive 37.5” total. Chase also won
the Big Fish award with a huge 14” slab.
This year, BKFT will revisit Indian Lake and all it has to
offer for the kayak angler. As mentioned
before, Indian lake has countless inner-weaving channels on all parts of the
lake. With all of these areas equally
likely to hold fish, game plans will become a determining factor of success on
May 17th.
There are areas for each style and type of crappie fisherman
at Indian Lake. By launching out of
Blackhawk, the kayak angler can easily access the open lake for long-line
trolling or vertical jigging the holes on the open lake. Another option out of Blackhawk is to explore
the hundreds of private boat docks stacked in the man-made channels. Whether shooting the docks or jigging around
their pillars, crappie are sure to be in these areas.
Blackhawk can also be fished in the Lucy’s
pond area around the lily-pad beds that blanket the water. The channel leading to Lucy’s pond is also
full of structure and can be still fished with a bobber, or the brush and trees
can also be dipped with a longer rod and a bit of skill as you float with the
current.
The game preserve on the North end of the lake can be a bit
more daunting as it is much larger than Blackhawk and there are not as many
ways to fish. Exploring this area, you
will see lily-pads and more lily-pads.
If dipping the pads is your game for crappie, then the preserve is your
area.
You will also see many guys
long-line trolling in the game preserve due to the mile-long channels with
limited turns or obstructions.
Parking
is limited at the preserve, as you have to launch out of Acheson’s resort. But, there is also a smaller dock located
just off of King Rd. that is public if you pay a small fee. Acheson’s also charges to launch from their
ramp as well. Either way, the preserve
can be a hit or miss endeavor for a kayak fisherman.
 |
| The kayak-friendly ramp off of King Rd. |
A third area to fish for crappie on Indian Lake is the Long Island
area. Long Island is an area that is
relatively small, and even quaint. It
essentially consists of one channel with slight flow. It features lots of wooden structure and
somewhat muddy water due to being the first area of the lake encountered by the North Fork of the Great Miami River.
If you wish to venture
around the bend of Long Island and into the open lake, you will notice a
cluster of homes with docks—some of which may also be holding crappie. In order to get to Long Island, you will need
to take 117 and turn at the big “Long Island” sign with an arrow. It’s hard to miss. Once you are there, there are some pull-off
areas you can park. Just don’t park on
private property!
One of the more under-rated, but productive areas of Indian
Lake to fish for crappie is the Moundwood area.
Moundwood gets hit very hard by saugeye fisherman due to the Great Miami
River’s flow into the lake, creating its channel. Moundwood also has many bass boat tournaments
that launch from its ramp. However, it
is also a great crappie area on the lake.
Looking very similar to Blackhawk, Moundwood has brush along the channel
walls, and it opens up to lily-pads in several areas. Going toward the main lake, Moundwood, has a
small section known as Dunn’s Pond that is a well-known crappie sanctuary on
the lake.
So, as you can see, the number of areas to fish on Indian
Lake can be mind boggling. I would
consider Indian Lake my “home lake” and I do not feel like I have an advantage
due to the number of areas those slabs have to hide. One thing to consider is to not be afraid to
move around on Indian Lake. Due to the unlimited amount of areas fish can hold,
if you are not getting bites for some time in an area, it might be best to move
on, even if it is only 50 yards down the bank to that next set of brush on the channel
wall. Sometimes, a complete area change
on the lake is in order. On Indian Lake
it is not uncommon for limits to be taken from the preserve, while fisherman
were frustrated and skunked at Blackhawk, and vice-versa. Once word gets out, hot spots on the lake
tend to serve as magnets for any and all boats that these areas will hold. Be aware of your surroundings, and stay safe
out there!
The main reason for the ever-changing fishing patterns on
Indian is that the lake is a very shallow, stained lake. It is greatly affected by weather and the
high and low-pressure systems that come with it. Be sure to keep this in mind as the
tournament draws nearer. Depending on
the weather, some areas of the lake will be better than others to fish. Wind, water clarity, water temperature, air
pressure, and cover will all determine where those crappie will be on May 17th.
Slight changes of colors, locations, and
presentations can be the difference between measuring a limit, or coming back
to the docks empty-handed.
Indian Lake can surely be bountiful, but she can be wrathful
and ungenerous as well. Stay patient and
take what the lake gives you, and that will lead to your success.
For more information on registration and the event, please visit:
Once again, best of luck to all anglers, and I look forward to seeing you on the water.
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